Department for Transport

Southern: Industrial Disputes

Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to assist in the resolution of the industrial dispute between Southern Rail and some of its staff and their unions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: This, like any other industrial dispute between a Train Operating Company and a trades union, is a matter for the union and operator to resolve. The Government condemns any industrial action that disrupts the travelling public. RMT has advised its members to accept the new On-Board Supervisor roles on offer. The Government’s strong opinion is there are no grounds at all for any further industrial action and these strikes must stop now.

Road Traffic Offences

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to give local authorities the power to issue on the spot fines to commercial vehicles that disregard weight and other restrictions on the public highway.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Police are the bodies empowered to issue fixed penalty notices for commercial vehicle offences, including for breach of weight limits.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the RAC, AA and other motoring organisations regarding the timely conduct of pothole repairs on roads in England.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Department for Transport discusses a wide range of issues with the RAC, AA and other motoring organisations with respect to highways maintenance and other issues that affect road users. The Department for Transport is investing over £12 billion in this Parliament for highways maintenance. This comprises over £6 billion to local highway authorities in England, outside London, including £250 million between now and 2021 to help repair potholes and other defects.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussion they have had with local authorities and the emergency services to ensure that roads in England and Wales are kept open in the event of poor winter weather in 2016–17.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Department for Transport works closely with the transport sector, including local highway authorities, to prepare for the winter season 2016/17. All key transport operators, including local authorities, train operating companies, Highways England, Network Rail and airports, have contingency plans in place to deal with winter weather that may be encountered. The Department for Transport continues to liaise with salt producers and regularly updates the salt stock holdings being held across the country. The Government has retained an emergency salt stockpile of around 383,000 tonnes for this winter season. In addition both Highways England and local highways authorities have winter service vehicles for use on the road network, including 500 vehicles for dealing with incidents that may occur on the strategic road network. The Department for Transport will shortly be writing to local highway authorities in England to remind them of their duties and to advise that they clean their drains and gullies in order to minimise the risk of surface water flooding on the highways for which they are responsible. It must, however, be recognised that severe winter weather may cause some disruption to the transport network. If travel is disrupted then we expect operators and highway authorities to do everything they can to keep passengers and road users informed whilst ensuring that the networks resume services as quickly as possible.

Cycling: Delivery Services

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL475), what is the justification for requiring self-employed vehicle courier drivers to have third party insurance but not cyclist couriers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Current legislation requires the use of motor vehicles to be covered by third party liability insurance. Compulsory insurance only applies to motor vehicles because the average speed and construction of motor vehicles means that they are much more likely than a pedal cycle to cause serious property damage or personal injury to a third party. We have no plans to make insurance compulsory for cyclists. However, all cyclists are encouraged to take out liability insurance and a range of products are available on the market.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

EURATOM

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 2 August (HL1221), given that Euratom is a separate legal entity from the European Union, whether they intend also to withdraw from the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and, if so, under what legal basis.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is assessing the legal and policy implications of the public’s vote to leave the EU. This includes assessing the implications for the UK’s membership of EURATOM.

Timber

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 25 October (HL2459), what figures were used for carbon dioxide emissions from wood, per unit of fuel or per unit of weight, in the emissions from biomass reported as a memo item in Table 1s2 of the background data accompanying the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2014.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: In the emissions from biomass reported as a memo item in Table 1s2 of the background data accompanying the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2014, the figures for carbon dioxide emissions from burning one tonne of wood are: 1.055 tonnes for power stations, 1.416 tonnes for domestic combustion and 1.767 tonnes for other industrial combustion.

Climate Change Convention

Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to draw up their own Intended Nationally Determined Contribution as an independent signatory to the Paris Agreement or remain a party to the Joint EU commitment to reduce emissions by 40 per cent below 1990 levels.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The UK’s commitment to tackling global climate change is firm. Until we leave, the UK will remain a full member of the EU, with all of the rights and obligations this entails.The UK is a Party to the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change individually as well as through the EU. Once the UK has deposited its instrument of ratification it will be bound by all the obligations of the Agreement under international law.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the capital cost of new-build offshore wind farms is rising or falling; and what impact that has had on cost estimates for the level of subsidy provided through the Levy Control Framework.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government’s last published levelised cost report shows offshore wind costs have fallen.Support costs are determined by a combination of the Government’s view of generation costs and by competitive allocation. We expect both of these to further drive down support costs for future projects.At Budget 2016, we announced that the reserve prices for offshore wind will fall from £105/MWh for projects commissioning in 2021, to £85/MWh for projects commissioning in 2026.

Wind Power

Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the price paid per megawatt hour for (1) onshore wind, and (2) offshore wind, is higher in the UK or Germany; and how important the relative wind conditions are in determining those prices.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: It is not possible to directly compare support costs between the UK and Germany, as the design of the electricity markets and support schemes are different.In the UK, support to large-scale renewable electricity generators is provided by the CFD Allocation Framework and has been awarded competitively through auctions.The reserve price for each technology, known as the administrative strike price, is modelled on the basis of the Government’s best view of electricity generation costs.These costs are calculated on the basis of capital costs, operating costs and the Government’s estimate of the expected volume of electricity produced.For wind generators, expected generation is determined by both wind speeds and the amount of time turbines are expected to be unavailable due to maintenance.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Lord Donoughue: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the additional greenhouse gas emissions reductions required to be made by remaining EU member states if the UK is no longer bound by a future Effort Sharing Decision in order to meet their collective 2030 target of a 40 per cent reduction of 1990 levels.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The UK’s commitment to tackling global climate change is firm. Until we leave, the UK will remain a full member of the EU, with all of the rights and obligations this entails.We are at the start of what will be a long process of considering options and implications very carefully. However, as long as we are a full Member of the European Union, we will continue to participate in negotiations on EU2030 climate legislation, including the Effort Share Regulation.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Government Hospitality: Wines

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 13 October (HLWS187), what was the average price paid by Government Hospitality per bottle of (1) white, and (2) red, wines produced in (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Italy, (d) Spain, (e) South Africa, (f) Australia, (g) New Zealand, (h) the United States, and (i) the UK.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: As highlighted in the Annual Statement of 13 October (HLWS187), the average cost per bottle of wine bought by Government Hospitality in 2015-16 was £11.00. Government Hospitality does not calculate the average cost of bottles purchased by type or country of origin, as to do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Somalia: Human Rights

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Somalia.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government set out an assessment of the human rights situation in Somalia in the UK statement to the UN’s Human Rights Council’s 33rd Session on 28 September 2016. In summary, Somalia has committed to upholding human rights, but implementation has been slow. Some progress has been made but overall the human rights situation in Somalia remains severeWe will urge the Federal Government of Somalia to uphold human rights and respect its international obligations. Key human rights legislation should be implemented swiftly and effectively.

Turkmenistan: Human Rights

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Turkmenistan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Turkmenistan is featured as a Human Rights Priority Country in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Human Rights Report – a clear indication of our continuing concern about the human rights situation in the country. We continue to call for the Turkmen Government to move forward with its reform programme, to secure full the implementation of the national human rights action plan, and to create an effective human rights ombudsman in order to give effect to the individual rights and freedoms set out in the newly adopted Constitution.

Gambia: Human Rights

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in The Gambia.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are deeply concerned about the human rights situation in The Gambia. Although the Gambian Government has taken some steps to address human rights concerns, including a ban on female genital mutilation and child marriage, much more needs to be done. We are following closely the cases of opposition members who have received severe custodial sentences and the deaths in custody of two members. We have voiced these concerns directly with the Gambian Government and in UN and EU fora and continue to apply pressure alongside other countries.

Kenya: Human Rights

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Kenya.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​The UK recognises Kenya's commitment to human rights as set out in Kenya's 2010 Constitution and Bill of Rights, and demonstrated through its implementation of recommendations from its United Nations Universal Periodic Review in 2015.We welcome recent reforms such as the announcement by President Kenyatta on 24 October that all death sentences have been commuted to life terms. We encourage the government to take steps formally to end the death penalty in Kenya.

Nigeria: Boko Haram

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that ammunition used by Boko Haram in Nigeria is manufactured in Sudan; that Boko Haram buys its weapons from Al-Geneina City, Darfur; and that Boko Haram uses Sudan as a transit country to link with Saudi Arabia.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are not aware of any specific reports that Boko Haram uses Sudanese-manufactured ammunition; that Boko Haram buys weapons from Al-Geneina City; or that Boko Haram uses Sudan as a transit country to link with Saudi Arabia.We fully support the EU arms embargo on Sudan and the UN arms embargo on Darfur, and we are fully committed to supporting Nigeria and its neighbours in the fight against Boko Haram.

International Criminal Court

Baroness Helic: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the International Criminal Court of the stated decision by South Africa and Burundi to withdraw from the Court; and what representations they have made to the governments of both countries in this regard.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK regrets the decision by South Africa and Burundi to initiate proceedings to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC). We recognise there are issues that need to be resolved with the ICC to ensure that it has the widest possible support. ICC working groups are currently considering some of the challenges in The Hague and New York. We hope that South Africa and Burundi will remain signatories to the Rome Statute and engage positively in further dialogue. We are open to discussing any of the issues or other concerns with states parties, now and at the Assembly of States Parties in November.On 21 October, the EU High Representative made a Declaration on behalf of the European Union on the African ICC withdrawals. The matter will be discussed at the upcoming EU-South Africa Human Rights dialogue on 9 November in Brussels. The Government will continue to support EU efforts to engage African partners to resolve issues and encourage them to remain active members, able to deliver change from within.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe about the extent to which the Zimbabwe Election Commission acted to support election law in the recent parliamentary by-election in the Norton constituency.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK regularly calls on the government of Zimbabwe to implement in law and practice the provisions of the 2013 constitution, including those relating to electoral processes. During the recent by-election, British officials visited Norton twice as part of a 'Diplomatic Watch' observation mission with Australian, US and EU colleagues. Local civil society groups have made a number of reports highlighting weaknesses in the electoral environment leading up to voting day. The group will now write to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, outlining its observations.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of South Africa regarding the threat to the political stability of Zimbabwe arising out of the extent to which the Zimbabwe Election Commission is discharging its constitutional duties.

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of South Africa regarding the impact on the economic and political stability of Zimbabwe arising from the decision of the government of Zimbabwe to hand out housing plots to ZANU-PF youth and reports that this was designed to influence the outcome of the recent parliamentary by-election in the Norton constituency.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​The Government regularly discusses the economic and political situation in Zimbabwe with South Africa and regional partners in the Southern Africa Development Community. We have a shared interest in a democratic, prosperous and stable future for Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding the remarks made by Vice President Mnangagwa during the recent parliamentary by-election in the Norton constituency.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Vice President Mnangagwa was reported to have made a range of comments during the recent Norton by-election. We have been clear that the government of Zimbabwe should avoid the use of inflammatory rhetoric, whilst implementing the provisions of the 2013 constitution, making progress on electoral reform and upholding respect for the rule of law and human rights.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe about reports of violence inflicted on supporters of the victor of the recent parliamentary by-election in the Norton constituency.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government condemns the use of violence and intimidation. We regularly urge the government of Zimbabwe to end human rights abuses and restore internationally accepted standards. We have urged the authorities in Zimbabwe to fully and properly investigate these allegations, and to ensure that the perpetrators of any violence are held to account. In Norton, prior to the election day, opposition rallies were violently broken up by police, and there were reports that supporters of the victor were harassed, including an abduction, sexual assault and beatings by Zimbabwe African National Union youth members. The election day itself was peaceful.

Zimbabwe: Elections

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe about the use of violence and intimidation in recent electoral contests in Zimbabwe.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government condemns the use of violence and intimidation in electoral contests. We regularly urge the government of Zimbabwe to end human rights abuses and restore internationally accepted standards. British Embassy officials visited Norton, the location of the most recent by-election, on two occasions, including as part of a 'Diplomatic Watch' observation mission with Australian, US and EU colleagues. They spoke to both candidates, urging calm. The "Diplomatic Watch" along with local observation groups will write to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, outlining their findings.

Adam Hanieh

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the detention, questioning and subsequent deportation of Dr Adam Hanieh, senior lecturer in Development Studies at SOAS; and what discussions they have had with the Director of SOAS, Baroness Amos.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have not raised this with the Israeli authorities or had any discussions with Baroness Amos on this issue. Israel is a sovereign state and as such, has the right to refuse entry or deport anyone they wish. The Government does not have the right to intervene in another country’s immigration policies and procedures.

Gaza: Electricity

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning electricity supplies to Gaza, which are now limited to six hours per day.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are deeply concerned by the electricity shortage in Gaza and the serious impact it is having on the humanitarian situation. We regularly raise Gaza’s energy situation with the Israeli authorities.

Gaza: Cancer

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the tightening of its policy for granting exit permits to cancer patients in Gaza; and in particular, what assessment they have made of the impact on women with breast cancer.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​While we have not raised or made an assessment on this specific issue, we have consistently called on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are also supporting the UN Access Coordination Unit to work with the World Health Organisation, Israeli Government, Palestinian Authority and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of medical equipment and supplies and patient referrals in and out of Gaza.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning reports that the Israeli Defence Force have instructed Israeli soldiers to shoot to kill.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​We have an ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities in order to understand their rules of engagement and express our concerns where necessary.

West Bank: Olives

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they are giving to the British Consulate General which has launched an initiative of help to the Palestinian olive harvest in Area C.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have allocated £20,000 from the bilateral programme budget for this initiative. Our Consulate-General in Jerusalem is leading a cross-Government effort, with staff from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and Ministry of Defence helping with olive harvest days Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has also lobbied the Israeli authorities for increased movement and access for Palestinians as part of this initiative.

Sudan: Human Trafficking

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk of the government of Sudan becoming a secondary or tertiary beneficiary of funding dedicated to the Better Migration Management Fund.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: All EU funds committed to the Better Migration Management project are managed by Member States’ Development Agencies or International Organisations. No funding will be channelled through the beneficiary countries’ government structures, directly or indirectly. The EU and the consortium of EU Member States will retain responsibility for the implementation of the project and activities will be carried out by experts from EU Member States, international organisations and non-governmental organisations.

Darfur: Chemical Weapons

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the use of chemical weapons by Sudanese government forces in Darfur.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: ​We are concerned by the allegations of chemical weapons use in Sudan. We are aware that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are looking into these allegations and have asked the government of Sudan to share all relevant information. The use of chemical weapons is contrary to international law and we unreservedly condemn their use by anyone, anywhere. We have raised our concerns during UN Security Council Consultations and directly with the government of Sudan.

Department for Education

Greenwich School of Management

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount of public money spent on maintenance fees individual students received by studying at the Greenwich School of Management in the academic years 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money was spent on tuition fees in the form of bursaries for individuals studying at the Greenwich School of Management in the academic years 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Information on student support for students from England studying in the UK, and students from the EU studying in England, is published by the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the annual Statistical First Release Student Support for Higher Education in England (SFR). This can be found at: http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded/england-higher-education.aspx Provisional data included in the Supplementary Tables to the SFR shows that students studying at the Greenwich School of Management in 2014/15 received a total of £21 million in Tuition Fee Loan payments, £32.7 million in Maintenance Loans and £26.1 million in Grants (including Maintenance Grants and other grants such as the Disabled Students Allowance). Final data for the academic year 2014/15 and provisional data for the academic year 2015/16 will be published by the SLC on 30 November 2016.

Greenwich School of Management

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of students in receipt of publicly-funded bursaries studying at the Greenwich School of Management for degrees validated by Plymouth University did not attend their examinations in the academic years 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the progression figures for students in receipt of publicly-funded bursaries studying at the Greenwich School of Management for degrees validated by Plymouth University for the academic years 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Information on the proportion of students attending examinations at Higher Education Providers is not held centrally. Progression rates are not produced separately for those students receiving student support. Published statistics in respect of Alternatives Providers, including the Greenwich School of Management, are available in the Experimental Statistical First Release ‘Higher education student enrolments and qualifications obtained on undergraduate designated courses at alternative providers in England 2014/15’. This can be found at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/15-06-2016/sfr235-alternative-providers

Ministry of Defence

Army: Photographs

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the deletion from Twitter by the Ministry of Defence of an Army photograph showing a soldier wearing black camouflage cream, what assessment they have made of the extent to which such photographs are racist.

Earl Howe: The tweet from 19 October included a photograph of a soldier from the Irish Guards practising camouflage and concealment measures during standard jungle training in Belize. We do not consider these types of photographs to be racist.We can see, however, how the tweet consisting of both the photograph and caption may have been misinterpreted. It was immediately removed, and the Department subsequently released an apology for any offence that may have been caused.

Rescue Services: Northern Ireland

Lord Rogan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times over the past 12 months RAF helicopters have flown from Great Britain to Northern Ireland to provide assistance to injured persons.

Earl Howe: RAF helicopters from the mainland have not been tasked to provide assistance to injured persons in Northern Ireland in the past 12 months. Responsibility for search and rescue activities within or around the United Kingdom now lies with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Rights of Way

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in resolving problems of damage to rights of way caused by off-road vehicles and trail motorcycles.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The responsibility for the management of off-road vehicles and motorcycles on public rights of way lies with local highway authorities and National Park Authorities, who have considerable powers to deal with problems of damage through the use of traffic regulation orders and also through the use of voluntary constraint agreements. No recent assessment of the state of the off-road network has been made, but previous research has shown that problems are localised. In order to share knowledge and build on existing best practice Defra and Natural England have set up a one-off forum for motor vehicle stakeholders in November to share their experiences and discuss ways of working together in the future.

Plants: Imports

Lord Framlingham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the UK exiting the EU, what steps they plan to take to tighten the rules governing the bio-security of imported trees and other plants.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We are committed to protecting our borders from pests and diseases and we are promoting biosecurity internationally, at UK borders, and inland. We are considering the implications for plant health biosecurity and possible options as part of our planning for, and negotiations on, the UK’s exit from the EU. Continuing to deliver a risk-based, proportionate plant health regime, that effectively protects the UK from plant pests and diseases, whilst maximising the free movement of goods, remains one of the Government’s highest priorities.

Palm Oil

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made on the implementation, through public procurement policy, of their commitment to achieve 100 per cent sourcing of credibly certified sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government Buying Standard for food and catering was amended in October 2012 to state that, from the end of 2015, all palm oil used for cooking and as an ingredient in food shall be sustainably produced. The Government has been making good progress towards meeting this requirement, with the majority of departments reporting that their catering contractors are complying with it. The next report on progress under the Greening Government Commitments, covering 2015/16, will include an update on sustainable procurement issues, including palm oil.

Forests

Baroness Parminter: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made, and when they plan to implement their commitment in the 2014 New York Declaration on Forests to work on new procurement policies to limit the consumption of commodities associated with deforestation.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Joint Statement on REDD+ by the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway made at the United Nations Climate Summit on 23 September 2014 in support of the New York Declaration on Forests contains a commitment that: “We will work with other consumer countries to promote national commitments that encourage deforestation-free supply chains, including through public procurement policies to sustainably source commodities such as palm oil, soy, beef and timber“. The Government Buying Standard for food and catering was amended in October 2012 to include a new requirement to procure palm oil, palm kernel oil and derivatives from sustainable sources. All food and catering products bought by central Government must meet these sustainability requirements. The Government’s Timber Procurement Policy also requires central Government Departments, Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies to procure timber and timber products that are both legal and sustainable.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK civil servants, and of what grade, who work in units, directorates or sub-departments within DEFRA are charged with EU policy formulation, advising on EU policy or enforcing EU policy.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Defra is amongst those Government Departments whose work is most closely linked to and impacted by EU activity, legal frameworks and funding. The majority of policy roles within the Department will or are likely to support EU related work to some degree.

Home Office

Europol

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to opt in to the new Europol regulation; and if so, when.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK remains a full member of Europol, and because of our Justice and Home Affairs opt-in, we have the option to seek to opt-in to Europol’s new legislative framework that comes into force on 1st May 2017. This option remains open to us while we are a member of the EU. The Government is actively considering whether to opt-in to the new Europol Regulation. We will inform Parliament of our decision in due course in the usual way.

Borders: Personal Records

Lord Harris of Haringey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the EU Commission proposal to introduce a European electronic system for travel authorisation (ESTA), and (2) the implications of the introduction of a European ESTA for UK citizens and businesses following the UK's departure from the EU; and what representations they have made to the Commission and to EU member states regarding that proposal.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK welcomes proposals to increase scrutiny of, and further secure, the EU’s external Schengen border. A brief update on the Commission’s plans to publish draft legislation for an Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System was provided at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 13 October, which was attended by the Home Secretary. We will examine the proposals in more detail once publication has taken place. The status of UK citizens under any such system will depend upon the nature of the detailed proposals and the outcome of the UK’s negotiations to exit the EU.

Police: Cameras

Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to encourage the provision and wearing of body cameras by operational police officers to improve police and public confidence in cases of disputed incidents.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office fully supports the police exploiting technology to help cut crime wherever possible. Body worn video can be a powerful tool to help the police be more effective, efficient and accountable. The decision to procure and deploy it is an operational one for chief officers.

Stun Guns

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether consideration is being given to prohibiting the use of tasers in detained settings for people with mental health conditions.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The deployment of police officers to mental health settings and the tactics used are an operational matter for the police.Any use of force by police officers must be appropriate, proportionate, necessary and conducted as safely as is possible. If police officers need to use force, it is right that they are expected to account for their actions.

Electronic Cigarettes

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the fire risk posed by e-cigarettes and what discussion they have had with the LGA, London Councils and the leaders of Fire Authorities in England about this risk.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We recognise e-cigarettes are an emerging technology and have taken action with the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, the then Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and with Electrical Safety First to develop appropriate fire safety messages for consumers.These were promoted through the Fire Kills campaign, and continue to be made available on Electrical Safety First’s website - http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/electrical-items/e-cigarettes/.

HM Treasury

Treasury: Staff

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK civil servants, and of what grade, who work in units, directorates or sub-departments within the Treasury are charged with EU policy formulation, advising on EU policy or enforcing EU policy.

Lord Young of Cookham: Staff within the longstanding International and EU group lead on providing advice to Ministers on EU and EU related issues. Staff within other groups throughout the Treasury also provide advice or analysis on EU issues as required, including policy formulation and enforcement. HM Treasury do not routinely capture information about each employee’s specific work. Given the interactions between EU policy and other work, it would not be possible to give an accurate figure.

Sterling

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent fall in the value of sterling.

Lord Young of Cookham: The UK has an inflation target, not an exchange rate target. The value of sterling adjusts flexibly in response to economic conditions and market forces. We are going through a period of adjustment as the economy responds to the vote to leave the European Union. The fundamental strength of the UK economy means that it is well-placed to deal with the challenges, and take advantage of the opportunities, that lie ahead.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Recruitment

Baroness Suttie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many of the new members of staff appointed to work in the Department for Exiting the European Union have been recruited from outside the civil service; and what proportion of those staff are consultants on fixed-term contracts.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Department for Exiting the European Union used the services of a number of consulting firms to help with departmental set-up and planning. A small number of individuals are also on secondment from consultancy firms and external organisations. The Department will make further use of external support and recruitment as appropriate to ensure it has the right expertise.

UK Withdrawal from EU

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they intend to put in place to allow representatives of the regions of England the same access that has been granted to the governments of Scotland and Wales and the Northern Ireland Executive to those ministers responsible for negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the EU and the opportunity to comment upon and discuss policies related to Brexit.

Lord Bridges of Headley: We are liaising closely with all government departments to understand the implications and opportunities presented by Brexit. With regard to impact on the regions, we are working alongside DCLG who are in dialogue with the Local Government Association and regional representatives to ensure place based issues are heard and understood.

Department for International Trade

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the proposed trade deal between the EU and Canada.

Lord Price: The Government has been clear in its support for the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This approach is in line with our commitment to back the EU’s trade agenda and participate constructively in decision-making on trade while the UK remains a member of the EU.

Department of Health

Doctors: Working Hours

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 25 July (HL1283), and in the light of the need to maintain compliance with EU law until the UK leaves the EU, what plans they have to discuss with NHS Trusts the introduction of new rotas for doctors which, following the UK's departure from the EU, would exceed the current hours prescribed by the Working Time Directive.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The new rotas being introduced as part of the new contract for doctors in training include contractual limits on working hours that are stronger than those prescribed in the Working Time Directive. The contract limits weekly average hours to 48, and it places a cap of 72 hours on the number of hours that can be worked in any one week, compared to 91 hours under the Directive. It also reduces the number of consecutive nights and consecutive long days that doctors in training can work, compared to the current arrangements. Trusts are contractually obliged to observe these limits, regardless of the Working Time limits. Robust arrangements are in place to ensure this happens, with Guardians of Safe Working Hours in each trust. Trusts will be fined if junior doctors miss more than 25% of their designated meal breaks, work more than an average of 48 hours a week over 17 weeks or work more than the 72 hours limit in any one week. Negotiations on a new contract for consultants have included a similar focus on safe working hours and limits. Discussions have been constructive and are continuing.

NHS: Consultants

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 16 September (HL1576), what is their assessment of the proportionality of a requirement for detailed knowledge of clinical English for a consultant employed within the NHS.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department has made no assessment of the proportionality of a requirement for detailed knowledge of clinical English for a consultant employed within the National Health Service. NHS employers are expected to ensure that any doctors seeking employment in the NHS have the skills needed to carry out their job safely and competently, including the appropriate level of English language. The General Medical Council (GMC) is the independent regulator of doctors in the United Kingdom. Without a licence to practise from the GMC, a doctor cannot practise in the UK. Any doctor who cannot provide sufficient evidence to the GMC that they have the English language skills needed to practise safely in the UK will not be given a licence to practise. The GMC also has powers to take fitness to practise action where concerns are raised around a doctor’s language competence who is practising in the UK.

Mental Health Services

Lord Porter of Spalding: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the publication of Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, whether they intend to publish a national Mental Health Strategy.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government welcomed the independent taskforce’s recommendations for mental health and fully endorses the report. We continue to work across Government departments to progress taking the taskforce recommendations forward.

Mental Health Services

Lord Porter of Spalding: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in creating parity of esteem between mental and physical health and how they are currently measuring this.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government is committed to achieving parity of esteem for mental and physical health. The Government welcomed the publication of The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and Future in Mind: Promoting, protecting and improving our children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing to transform mental health services by 2020, which is a significant step forward in achieving parity of esteem between mental and physical health. We continue to work with NHS England and other arm’s length bodies to embed the recommendations set out in these reports into our national policies and we are committed to reporting regularly and transparently on our progress. Copies of both reports are attached. We will be holding NHS England to account through the NHS Mandate to ensure that we deliver the commitments set out in these reports.



Future in mind report
(PDF Document, 1.65 MB)




MH FYFV
(PDF Document, 2.55 MB)

Obesity

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 15 June (HL593), whether the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) also has plans to review evidence on the link between foods high in carbohydrates and obesity; and if not, whether they will review their advice on the consumption of carbohydrates prior to the completion of the SACN review on saturated fats.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published its report Carbohydrates and Health in July 2015. A copy of this document is attached. SACN concluded that increases in sugar consumption lead to increases in energy intake, and that consuming sugary drinks results in weight gain and increases in body mass index in children and adolescents. The committee also concluded that the evidence considered for this review does not support the hypothesis that diets higher in their total carbohydrate content cause weight gain. SACN has no plans to review the evidence, or their advice, on carbohydrates again in the near future.



SACN Carbohydrates 
(PDF Document, 2.39 MB)